Eyelet terminals are commonly used in automotive electrical systems to connect wires or cables to terminal points such as battery and junction box terminals and grounds. The eyelet terminals are typically formed from relatively heavy gauge metal to accommodate large terminals, to carry high levels of current, and to be securely crimped to heavy duty cables. One end of the eyelet terminal typically has a flat, annular eyelet designed to fit over a threaded post or stud terminal, secured to the stud with a nut.
Eyelet terminals are also used with "weld nut" terminal connections, in which a nut is welded or otherwise fixed in place on a metal grounding surface or over a female terminal hole to receive a bolt or threaded stud for a ground or power connection.
Rotation of the eyelet terminal and the cable to which it is attached is a common problem encountered when tightening an eyelet-securing nut or bolt onto a stud or weld nut. One known method for solving the rotation problem is to extend perpendicular anti-rotation tabs or legs from portions of the eyelet terminal to engage slots in the underlying mounting structure when the eyelet terminal is placed. Subsequent tightening of a nut or bolt to secure the eyelet terminal at the electrical connection point cannot rotate the eyelet.
The usefulness of such anti-rotation structure on the eyelet terminal is limited. The nature of weld nut terminals generally precludes the use of anti-rotation tabs extending from the eyelet terminal. If the weld nut is used as an electrical ground, the nut may be welded on a solid metal surface. In some instances it may also be desirable to establish secondary ground or power connections to existing nut-using connections which do not lend themselves to the use of an additional eyelet terminal having anti-rotation tabs.